Swiss cyclist Stefan Küng in action during last year's Tour de Suisse
Keystone
The Tour de Suisse will not take place this year. The organisers of the cycling race around Switzerland say the coronavirus pandemic has left them with little choice.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/ts
The 84th edition of the Tour de SuisseExternal link should have started on June 7, with an individual time trial in Frauenfeld, northeastern Switzerland. One week later, the competition, which belongs to the World TourExternal link, would have ended in mountainous Andermatt and the Furka, Grimsel and Susten passes.
External Content
Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Almost finished… We need to confirm your email address. To complete the subscription process, please click the link in the email we just sent you.
It is the first time in the 87-year history of the Tour de Suisse that it has had to be cancelled in peacetime. Only the events scheduled for 1940, 1943, 1944 and 1945 could not be held owing to the Second World War.
The organisers said that although the event had not been banned by the federal authorities they had decided not to postpone the tour until later in the racing calendar as this was not logistically and financially feasible.
“It was with a heavy heart that we have made this decision due to the corona pandemic. We are however convinced that it is the best solution to provide certainty and thus planning security for participants, fans and partners. For the Tour de Suisse, it is also an important step to ensure the continuation of this event in the future,” Olivier Senn, co-managing director of the Tour de Suisse organisation, said in a statement on Friday.
The aim is to hold the event in June 2021, although exact dates have not been fixed.
The Tour de Suisse is just one of many sporting events to have been cancelled or postponed around the world, including the Ice Hockey World Championship in Switzerland, the Summer Olympic Games, Euro 2020, Formula One races, the French Open and Wimbledon. The Tour de France, set to start on June 27, is one of the few big events that is still taking place, for now.
More
More
Tour de Suisse at 75
This content was published on
The Tour de Suisse is Switzerland’s biggest sporting event and a cycling classic. It is taking place for the 75th time in 2011. (All pictures: Keystone/Photopress-Archiv)
How is your country dealing with the return of stolen artifacts?
Western nations like Switzerland often have to deal with the process of recovering or returning looted artifacts which have been illegally imported. What’s the situation like in your country?
What do you think Switzerland’s Alain Berset can bring to the Council of Europe?
The former interior minister is to become the first Swiss Secretary General of the Council of Europe – which issues should his five-year term focus on?
Swiss Solidarity raises over CHF10 million for victims of extreme weather
This content was published on
The money raised will be used to help those affected by the recent storms and flooding in the cantons of Ticino, Graubünden, and Valais.
Swiss giant Roche given green light for lung cancer drug in Canada
This content was published on
According to a recent study, Roche’s Alecensaro reduced the risk of recurrence or death by 76% compared to chemotherapy alone.
Swiss luxury watch market hit hard by China-led slump
This content was published on
Sales of Swiss-made luxury watches are in sharp retreat as nervous consumers reconsider splashing out on expensive timepieces and demand slumps.
Swiss foreign minister briefs Russian counterpart on Ukraine peace summit
This content was published on
Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis met with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in New York, during Russia's presidency of the UN Security Council.
Criminal proceedings filed over Swiss components in Russian weapons
This content was published on
The Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs has opened more than 50 administrative criminal proceedings for violations of sanctions against Russia.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Three climbs, two wheels, one day
This content was published on
Switzerland is one of the best-kept secrets in cycling. After a long day among the peaks, you wonder why there aren’t more riders.
This content was published on
On June 12, 1817, a German aristocrat named Karl Drais rode 14 kilometres (8.7 miles) on pedal-less wooden beam with two wheels of his own invention. The eponymous contraption, the draisine, was the direct predecessor of the bicycles we know and love today. But Matthias Aebischer, president of Pro Velo SwitzerlandExternal link, told the Swiss News…
This content was published on
The cycling legend, who was named the “Swiss sportsperson of the century” in 1983, died in a Zurich hospital on Thursday. He was admitted on account of a severe cold. Kübler entered professional cycling in 1940 but took a while to reach elite status. He won the Tour de France in 1950 at the age…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.